"Do you think Will would watch the kids tonight?" Emily asked, eyeing JJ over the rim of her coffee cup. The kids hadn't woken up yet, but it was only a matter of time before they did, so they had to talk fast.

JJ raised a brow. "Why?" she asked slowly.

She sipped her coffee, then attempted a reassuring smile. "Dave said my Champagne Room client is coming back for the night..."

"So...?"

In a rush, Emily explained, "Well, I was thinking that if the two of us perform for him, we could see exactly how much he's willing to spend..."

JJ chewed her lip for a moment. "I don't know, Em, it sounds like he's really only into you. He might just clam up with me in the room."

Emily gave her a pointed stare. "What guy has ever not wanted to see two strippers simulate sex?" she said.

"Touche." She nodded slowly. "I'll talk to Will."

Emily and JJ were no strangers to performing together. They trusted each other enough that it wasn't weird or uncomfortable and they weren't going to squabble over the money they got paid.

That night was no different. Ian, of course, didn't turn down JJ's presence. He sat back and watched as Emily undressed JJ and the two grinded against each other. It didn't take much to know that he was enjoying the show.

But things changed subtly when JJ took it upon herself to give him a lap dance. Emily pressed herself against his side, hand dancing along his chest, lips brushing his ear as she whispered, "She's so fucking sexy, isn't she? Don't you want her?"

Rather than answer her, he pulled another bill from his pocket, ran his hands down JJ's arms to slip the money into her hand.

"What do you want me to do for you, baby?" JJ asked, still moving in his lap.

"I want you to take your little one out – get ice cream or something," he murmured by her ear. "I'm sure you're missed at home."

She stalled, mind and body, for a moment. "How... How did you know I have a son?" she asked warily. It was one of the first rules of the Champagne Room: you let the guy do all the talking, so you didn't have to reveal anything about yourself. The guys preferred it that way anyway – they didn't want to think of the strippers as real people with families, hopes, and lives outside the club...it interfered with viewing them as living sex dolls.

He tapped her hand. "Marker," he said, "You have a little artist at home. Go home, Love, I'm sure I'm in good hands with Ruby here."

JJ and Emily exchanged a silent conversation, but Emily nodded her assurance that she'd be okay. As soon as they were alone, Emily straddled his lap, rasped, "So eager to get me alone, baby?"

"You're more my type," he said, "Not that I didn't enjoy your little display."

Grinding slowly against him, she asked, "What can I do to make you happy?"

He didn't answer immediately, fingers teasing at the ties of her g-string. "Why do you do it?" he asked. "Not that I don't appreciate the fact that you do..."

"Do what?" she asked sweetly.

Nuzzling into her neck, he said, "Take your clothes off for strangers."

She shrugged. "A girl's got to do something..."

He hummed a thoughtful note. "Or you could do something else," he said slowly.

"Like what?"

"Come live with me," he suggested. "I'll take care of you so you never have to come back here."

She might've laughed, if it weren't for the serious expression on his face. "Baby, you know I'd love to, but all the other men would be jealous," she purred.

"Fuck 'em," he said firmly.

She laughed. "And you?" she teased.

He didn't respond, but he didn't have to. She knew it went without saying.

When JJ arrived at Will's apartment after her abbreviated shift, the kids were already in bed and Will was waiting up for her. When he heard the door close behind her, he crossed the room to press a kiss to her lips in greeting.

He paused when he got close, wrinkling his nose. "You smell like cologne..." he informed her, frown creasing his brow. "And you're covered in glitter."

She laughed, a touch hysterically, waving away his concerns. She'd always been careful to shower before she came over to his place after a shift, but she'd forgotten that night and was, apparently, about to pay for her mistake.

Will wasn't about to let her dismissive wave suffice as a response. "Last time I checked, bartending doesn't require body glitter," he said, "So maybe I should ask what it was you were actually doing tonight while I was home watching our son, thinking you were at work..."

"Nowhere," she immediately lied. But his expression made it clear he wasn't buying it. So, she blurted out the first lie that came to her mind. "Some of the girls from work wanted to go out to a club. Some guy got a little handsy with me – which is why I smell like cologne – so I decided to leave early." She shrugged like it wasn't a big deal.

"Why didn't you just tell me the truth?" he demanded. "I get that you need a night off sometimes, I would have understood. You didn't have to lie to me."

She worked up an apologetic smile. "I know and I'm sorry. I just... I know how hard you work and we never get to spend time alone together and I didn't want you to think that I don't love you or want to spend time with you... I just really needed to blow off some steam tonight." She looked down at the floor, then up at him through her lashes as she reached out for his hand. "I'm sorry."

He sighed heavily, then reached out to fold her into his chest, holding her like his life depended on it. "Cher, you're my whole world. I'd give you the sun, moon, and stars if you wanted. All you have to do is ask."